News

At the Atheneum: A walk through the library

(May 6, 2014)
When one strolls through the Atheneum,
there are frequent pauses in the non-fiction and fiction shelves, the
general preferences readers look for. But why not check out some
interesting aisles or corners which expand the amazing stretch of
information the library makes available to its visitors.

On the right hand of the front door
are more than 116 newspapers and magazines. Among the newspapers are
the local Inquirer and Mirror, Nantucket Today, The Boston Globe and The Boston Herald. The New York Times and its Book Review and weekly
magazine, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Investors Business
Daily give readers broader news. Just behind the newspapers are
shelves of volumes which most appeal to the island’s interests,
especially sports, gardening, cooking, health and exercise, building,
news magazines, fishing and wedding styles. They are all brightly
designed and full of suggestions and photographs which enrich the
subjects at hand.

Standing alert at the top shelf of
these volumes is the marching parade of “The Modern Scholar,” a
DVD series of the human species, each volume from its birth to its
growth through classical and medieval periods to present-day issues
and heroes. The series introduces a well-known professor of that era
to highlight each period and describe his studies.

Around the walls of the main floor are
shelves of DVDs of current movies, histories, biographies and music.
In a corner of what the Atheneum staff call “the Movie Bible” is
a special encyclopedia for films, actors, directors, writers and
producers. Not only is it popular among fans looking for dates and
titles but also among the staff, glad that our learned executive
director is a notable film connoisseur.

From the collections of all these
volumes and discs and images readers can build a personal
intelligence, available to every resident and visitor on Nantucket,
among them writers, students and business firms.

Beyond the main display of materials
and treasures is the corridor to the children’s library, called the
Weezie wing for its generous donor, and to the young adults'
comfortable lounge on the second floor in the Great Hall. Parents,
especially home educators, and youngsters find important literature
and also information on digital tools here. Close by are the amazing
staff of research librarians, ready to probe institutions,
universities and other resources to answer requests from patrons and
scholars, particularly on island and maritime history.

The Atheneum is the focus of downtown
activity year-round. Besides summer visitors borrowing items and
books, the Great Hall offers a venue for artists, musicians and
distinguished speakers who come from far and wide to address us. In
the so-called ”shoulder” seasons of spring and fall there is a
quieter but steady schedule of local meetings, films and
entertainment which captivate the year-round population of (about
12,000. When students taking school tests and writing papers need
quiet space, the basement gallery can be useful for classes in
English language and other courses.

What would we do without our Atheneum?
It has raised Nantucket’s famous whaling history to a special
modern distinction, that of a little island in the Atlantic Ocean
which is rich in natural beauty and intellectual opportunities in
science and arts.